The best thing about being stationed overseas in the military is mail call. Even in this day of email, Facebook and Twitter, a hand-written letter or a greeting card is precious cargo and there is still no way to squeeze beef jerky and Twizzlers through fiberoptic cables.

Veterans organizations, small groups and individuals regularly make collections and mail boxes to the men and women on duty and Joni B and Her Team of 3 is no different.

"We were much larger a few years ago, but people come and go," said Joan Amatucci standing between folding tables filled with boxes of goodies and necessities hard to find in the desert and mountains of Iraq and Afghanistan.

What began as the Adopt-A-Marine Project has evolved into the Adopt-A-Hero Project, but the goal is the same: To let the men and women in the military, especially those deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, know they are appreciated and to show that appreciation in practical ways.

Boxes of deodorant, foot powder, lip balm and other personal items are interspersed with cases of edible items such as Cheez-Its, Twizzlers, all kinds of beef jerky, M&Ms, powdered drinks, coffee and peanuts.

"Peanuts and Twizzlers. I don't know what it is about them but the troops can't get enough. And the M&Ms. We're sending them now. You just can't send candy in the summer — it arrives as a liquid," she said.

To date, more than 775 boxes have been mailed to various units, and Amatucci and her team have received dozens of letters, cards and brief notes from the recipients thanking them for the packages.

"This started as a neighborhood project. We would go around and talk to groups and get some help from various sources. We get a lot of support from the Walgreens in Beaufort. They regularly give us donations of goods for the troops," she said. "The Island Car Wash, Hudson's Seafood on Tasteful Tuesdays — they've both been generous with donations and helping us. People are so generous. They're so behind our troops. It just blows you away. It's so humbling."

It all began when the Cypress Run neighborhood representative gathered his neighbors and said "we need to do something for the guys and gals over there in Iraq," Amatucci said. "So he said why not do something because it was coming to Christmas."

A website founded by Ryan Rust adopted Marines and got people to collect goodies and send them to individuals. The rep got hold of Rust and after being cleared to receive the information, Cypress Run began sending boxes.

"We filled 20-30 boxes with various things that Christmas — decorations, cards, candy, gifts. That's how it started and then it kind of grew on itself," Amatucci said. "Then I said well if they need things at Christmas, they need things all year. We can't just drop it. He said, 'Well that sounds like a good idea, Joan. Why don't you take it on?' And I did."

The group has collected blankets for troops standing guard away from their tents, participated in Operation Baby Wipes and helped Gilligan's in Beaufort with its care package project.

"Then it kind of faded," she said.

The effort may have shrunk in number of participants, but the scope of the project has not changed. The four women scour the area for goodies, donors and ways to raise money for postage — the most expensive part of the project. Even though the special APO-FPO flat rate box costs $12.95 — $2 less than the same size box going to a civilian address — it's still costly. Hanging off shelves in her garage are a few of the ways the groups tries to raise funds — donated T-shirts with Marine Corps logos bold enough to warm a leatherneck's heart.

Still, she finds a way to get the packages out and on her last trip to the post office mailed 10 boxes. Every box contains a note of appreciation from the group and best wishes to the recipients. Nowadays, the boxes go to units and get shared amongst the members.

"I got a note from the captain at one unit who said he was away when the boxes arrived and when he got back to camp found the boxes stacked against the back wall," she said. "He said he just got all his people together, passed the boxes out and opened them. It was Christmas and they had the best decorated tent in camp. All the goodies got laid out and people took them as they needed them."

Much attention is paid to the men on the front lines, but Amatucci is quick to say "Don't forget the women."

Boxes of items especially appreciated by the women, including sugar-free candies and snacks as well as personal items, are labeled for the women. It's particularly important to one group, an engagement unit of 50 women who liaison with village women in Afghanistan.

"The villagers will talk to the women and tell them what they need in the way of medical help, supplies, water, food," Amatucci said. "They're not allowed to talk to the men so our women go in and see what they can do to help."

No matter what gender, though, the troops all need or like pretty much the same thing and Amatucci is gearing up for the winter's shipments. That means long brown, army green or black cotton socks, powdered soups and ramen, powdered hot drinks and coffee as well as the long, long shoestrings the combat boots need, Christmas and all-occasion cards, lip balm and always sunflower seeds and beef jerky.

TO ADOPT A HERO

Those interested in making a donation of any kind may call Joan Amatucci at 705-6809 or email her at jbatucci@aol.com.

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